Have we forgotten what leadership looks like? Is there a global crisis of leadership? Does it really matter?

In Forbes last week, Mike Myatt answers all the above with a resounding YES! In his article, A Crisis of Leadership – What’s Next? he claims that poor leadership is a systemic problem and so pervasive that we can no longer recognize good leadership. Further, he points to poor leadership as crippling businesses, ruining economies, destroying families, and possibly bringing the demise of nations.

Then he asks, “What do we do about it?”

Myatt calls for a Leadership Movement. Rather than pointing the finger at others, he calls on each of us to require more of ourselves, to take the lead in not only calling out poor leaders but in practicing leadership that values performance above rhetoric, forward progress above positional argument, compassion above ego, and openness above the need to be right.

“We must once and for all learn that what we fail to require of ourselves will be hard to ask from others.”

Much of this rings true to me. It captures the importance and urgency I feel, and it reflects much of why we’re focusing on leadership development at ONEplace. Imagine the collective impact achieved by a nonprofit sector not characterized by a few standout leaders, but led by persons who – to a one – embraced the values above. That’s a vision worth working toward.

Have we forgotten what leadership looks like? Is there a global crisis of leadership? Does it really matter?

In Forbes last week, Mike Myatt answers all the above with a resounding YES! In his article, A Crisis of Leadership – What’s Next? he claims that poor leadership is a systemic problem and so pervasive that we can no longer recognize good leadership. Further, he points to poor leadership as crippling businesses, ruining economies, destroying families, and possibly bringing the demise of nations.

Then he asks, “What do we do about it?”

Myatt calls for a Leadership Movement. Rather than pointing the finger at others, he calls on each of us to require more of ourselves, to take the lead in not only calling out poor leaders but in practicing leadership that values performance above rhetoric, forward progress above positional argument, compassion above ego, and openness above the need to be right.

“We must once and for all learn that what we fail to require of ourselves will be hard to ask from others.”

Much of this rings true to me. It captures the importance and urgency I feel, and it reflects much of why we’re focusing on leadership development at ONEplace. Imagine the collective impact achieved by a nonprofit sector not characterized by a few standout leaders, but led by persons who – to a one – embraced the values above. That’s a vision worth working toward.